btw. Waltz with Bashir has got to get the Oscar for best foreign-language movie, I don't know all the other candidates, but this one is a phantastic movie!

I'm surprised The Edge of Heaven didn't receive a nomination. I thought it was excellent, and a far better realization of similar ideas in the inferior Babel and the far worse Crash.

It'll be interesting to see who runs away with the Best Supporting Actor nomination. Brolin was very good in Milk, as he has been very good in practically everything the past four or five years. Ledger was, of course, memorable as the Joker in The Dark Knight, and his death a year ago will no doubt have some sway over voters. And to top it off, Robert Downey Jr. earned as surprising (but deserved) nomination for a comedic role in Tropic Thunder.

Overall, the Best Picture nominees seem weaker than last year. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was overlong, with a padded first act and a barely necessary framing story. Slumdog Millionaire was surprisingly conventional and light (the brother is redeemed, the girl is got, the money is won...hardly innovative nor challenging in concept), but it was, admittedly, fun. I still have a hard time with the fact that so many Indian cast and crew are being passed up in favor of nominating the white filmmakers, though. Milk was well-made, and, in the face of Prop 8, bittersweet. Surprisingly good as a biopic, seeing as how tired the genre has felt as of late. I haven't seen Frost/Nixon nor The Reader, but judging from reviews, neither would be in contention if there was any stronger competition.

I hope Mellisa Leo runs away with a best actress nomination. Frozen River was far from a perfect film, but it's fantastic to see such a low-budget venture on a subject that wouldn't have had any Hollywood focus receive attention, and her performance was noteworthy.